A new trainer emerges from Kanto
by YasukiKanade
Summary: slightly AU, OC slice-of-life series of interconnected short stories cross-posted on my deviantart YasukiKanade for the group P-ARPG. A new trainer starting out and her two starters from other regions set off on their journey and experience beauty contest and battles and the day to day like of a trainer. K for pokemon violence ON HOLD
1. New Friends

_**Author Note: I don't own Pokemon or the locations contained within this story series. I just own Kanade. **_

The new trainer Kanade sat watching her two Pokemon, Mucai and Baku. Mucai was a male Tropius and Baku, a female shiny Munna. Despite their differences in size, gender and type, the two were inseparable. It'd been three weeks since Kanade had set out on her journey. A native of the Kanto region, she was now entering the Veridian forest, being careful to stick to the dedicated paths, avoiding the dangers of the tall grass. She hadn't the heart to battle her Pokemon yet, she was more content to watch the two of them play for now, and play they did.

Rolling around together in the grass, or playing a sort of keep-away with a small ball that Kanade kept in her pack, the two were always at each other's sides. They kept inventing new games to entertain each other. Splashing through every puddle, leaping over every protruding rock, the two constantly challenged each other.

Mucai would carry his Munna friend into the air to let her see farther ahead on the path. Baku would always squeal with joy, wishing to go higher and higher. In turn, Baku curled next to him to sleep. When she received them she was told Mucai seemed to suffer from nightmares. The two even refused to return to their poke-balls and she eventually conceded to let both walk alongside her.

Tonight the three of them shared yet another meal, gathered around a small campfire. Mucai lay curled around Baku, satisfied with the meal and companionship. Kanade sat thinking to herself about the possible battles ahead and decided to ask them.

"Would you two like to participate in Pokemon battles some day? Get stronger together?" The two of them looked at each other, nervously. "There is a type of battle known as a double battle. Tag teams fight each other. You wouldn't have to be apart." They both smiled and nodded eagerly at her. Her starters were the best of friends and truly inseparable.


	2. Practicing for a beauty competition

_**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon, just trainer Kanade. Rising stars beauty contest was a prompt from the group P-ARPG on deviantart**_

"Come on, Mucai!" Kanade cheered on her Tropius as she encouraged him to strut in a straight line. His frond-like wings spread proudly to either side of him, his head held high. He looked cool and he knew it, it seemed.

"Now sit for me, show the audience how far those wings of yours can stretch." He sat on his haunches, spreading them further and flapped them softly to fan the tips out. "On your hind legs, stand and show how imposing and tough you are!"

"Tro?" He cocked his head at Kanade looking confused. Her Munna, Baku was looking on and cried back at Mucai. She wanted to help with this training. Baku'd been pouting all day as Kanade worked with 'cai. They always did everything together. Why couldn't she be in this contest too?

Kanade finally gave in seeing the round little Munna standing there. "Okay, Baku, show him what I mean." The Munna stood on her back legs, balancing carefully and opened her mouth in a silent roar.

"Mu-Munna!" Baku sat back down and waved to Mucai. He got it now. Standing on his rear legs and giving a mighty pose with wings outstretched he did look strong. He opened his mouth like was going to roar and Kanade swore he winked at her.

"Now, 'cai, Leer at me!" The Tropius's eyes flashed with a sinister look. He really did look intimidating, Kanade mused. "Nice work!"

"Back up, Baku!" The Munna scuttled behind Kanade's legs, proud to have helped in the lesson. Mucai continued to hold the difficult pose flapping his wings slightly to balance his bulky weight. "Now give me your best Gust attack!" Mucai beat his wings powerfully, hovering aloft, then rapidly pulsated his leafy pinions. A torrent of dust blew up as he flapped as hard as he could.

Baku clung to Kanade's calf, trying to not be buffeted by the torrent of air. Kanade had to brace herself as well. This was the best Gust she'd ever seen from her Tropius. "Very good, you can come down now!" She smiled at him, "do it like that in the competition and we have a fighting chance!"

Tropius landed and laid down, cuddling up to Munna. He did a good job and his trainer was proud of him. If she wanted him to do that again, he would.

Baku licked Mucai's nose, placing her legs against him. This was her friend's chance to shine, and she would help him do it to the best of her ability.


	3. Omake: How babies are made

_**Author's note: this was a weekly prompt of "Where do babies come from?" This assumes pokemon can understand each other and have some semblance of language among themselves. I do not own pokemon, nor any characters within this story save Kanade.**_

"Where do baby pokemon come from?" Trainer Kanade's Tropius Mucai asked Kanade's Munna, Baku. He looked at her confused. Baku was wise despite having hatched the same time as he did. He sometimes wondered if it had to do with her unusual coloration. Perhaps instead, it was because she was a Psychic type. Mucai wasn't sure why, but she knew more than he did.

"Why do you wish to know?" Baku looked at him confused, then followed his gaze. They were walking through a town and passing a human woman carrying a young child. "Ah, I see... we come from eggs." Her answer was soft, as she cared deeply for her friend and didn't wish to offend his feelings, but curt. She didn't see need for more explanation than that.

"Well, yes. I remember seeing the shells after we hatched. I watched others hatch in the day care not long after. But where did those eggs come from?" He stopped walking, causing Kanade herself to hesitate. The trainer knew the two of her pokemon were close and carried on conversations she couldn't comprehend. She just smiled and waited, assuming it was something important.

Baku frowned, though it was hard for the casual observer to tell due to her drooping snout. "I was told this story once, but I am not sure if it is entirely true. You may wish to sit as it will take a bit to retell it all."

She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself. Mucai sat on his haunches and cocked his head curious as to this great tale she had heard and the origins of it. "Once, when we were at a pokemon center, two towns back, when Nurse Joy had taken you in the back for a checkup I asked a Chansey that was taking a break why they are often carrying eggs. I asked if they lay the eggs of every kind of Pokemon."

"The Chansey laughed and said she was just watching the egg a while for a couple." At Mucai's confused look, "lovers, two pokemon, one boy, one girl who care deeply about each other." He nodded, seeming to have another question but deciding to keep it to himself for now. Baku continued her story, "Chansey told me that when a couple of pokemon care for each other very much and wish to raise a baby alongside their trainer, they sneak off into the night. Under the moon the dance together and roll up a ball of mud."

"Mud?!" Mucai's look of complete disbelief was caught even by Kanade. Whatever her two pokemon were discussing it must have been pretty interesting. The Munna laughed, a high pitched noise similar to a squeal.

"I didn't believe it myself either at first. Anyways she said they put something special to each of them in the ball of mud, sometimes their own fur or scales, sometimes a gift from a trainer or a ribbon they earned, a favorite berry. Then they wish really hard and both use their strongest special attacks at the same time on the mud-ball."

By now he was looking at her like she was telling a grand joke. Kanade snickered in the background, watching them talk despite not understanding a word of it. "Believe it if you will, I'm telling you what I heard. Anyways, if their wish is granted, Celebi comes and turns the mud into an egg. It then contains a baby, that is similar to either parent. After a while it hatches."

He mulled it over a bit, "so that's how babies are made?"

She grinned and nodded, "that's how babies are made!"


	4. More Preparations

Trainer Kanade had taken her two pokemon, a Munna named Baku and a Tropius named Mucai to an open air bath. She didn't have the Pokedollars to go to a proper salon or beauty parlor so she decided to bath and brush her pokemon herself.

The bath was free, fueled by a natural hotspring. It was a popular location for trainers and their pokemon to visit in the colder months, but for some reason today business was slow. The hostess waved to her and led them bak to one of the more private baths, saying they could use it today as there weren't any other customers yet.

Kanade removed her outer layer of clothes, already wearing a bathing suit to get in the water with them. Mucai made it in before she did. He loved open air bath houses. The warm water felt quite good to him she guess, though she hoped he wouldn't try to drink it this time. The bath house had even placed cherry blossoms in the water, and it gave off a pleasant scent. Perhaps that's why he likes it.

Baku, however, hated baths. "Come on, Baku... in the water. Let's get you all nice and pretty."

"Mu. Munna!" Baku harrumphed and turned her back to Kanade. Mucai sighed and rolled on his back, floating in the water.

"See? 'Cai loves it!" Baku peeked over her shoulder and when she saw Kanade watching, immediately turned away again. "You wanted to participate in a beauty contest like Mucai is going to, right?" Baku finally turned around and nodded. "Then we need to get you cleaned up. If you do I can train you like we did with him the other day."

Baku dove into the water with a mighty splash. Kanade shrugged. She'd have to clean that up out of respect for the facilities' kindness. But for now, they could enjoy the bath.

"Remember guys, twenty minutes of soaking we get out." She gestured to the clock on the wall. A sad moan came from her Tropius. "I know, you'd stay in here all day if you could."

Twenty minutes later they got out, and Kanade toweled them off before drying herself and changing back into normal clothes. "Okay guys, brushing time." She pulled out a large brush with very fine, soft bristles. It was 'Cai's turn to grumble. "You both are looking forward to the contest, I promise this will be over quick. Baku first?" The two pokemon seemed agreeable to that arrangement.

Kanade brushed her back and sides then got out a smaller brush for snout and feet. She then put a scarf around the Munna's neck, to help ward off winter's chill. Pulling out a little hand mirror of the drawer of provided supplies, she showed Baku. "You like it?" Baku smiled and chortled happily. She then turned to Mucai who resigned himself to a full-bodied brush down. His lack of fur made it easy but he still disliked it. She decided against an accessory for him he thought he was too cool for them. As she showed him his reflection he puffed his chest out in front of the mirror and made faces at it.

"You guys look good, some training for Baku soon and I think we'll be ready to go!"


	5. Mucai learns a new move

_**Disclaimer: I still don't own pokemon or its respective characters. Just Trainer Kanade**_

Trainer Kanade and her Pokemon, a shiny Munna named Baku and a Tropius named Mucai were walking through a rain shower. The air was thick and heavy as they hurried to the next town. Mucai kept pausing and looking at the sky.

"What's wrong, Mucai?" Kanade asked genuinely concerned. He kept glowing with a faint light and opening his mouth. Sometimes, he hiccupped and a bright glowing orb appeared.

Thinking he was sick, she decided to rush him out of the rain and to the Pokemon center She had no idea what was wrong with her Tropius, but it seemed serious, and he continued to look towards the sky. As they approached town the heavy rain let up into a drizzling mist and Mucai's mood seemed brighter. He kept looking up and pausing in his walk. Even, Baku tried to push him forward hating all things wet.

"I'm sorry, Mucai but this is for your own good." She pulled his rarely used pokeball from her belt. "Tropius, come back!" A red beam of light coursed between Mucai and the pokeball. She recalled her Munna too, as she seemed disgruntled at having been left alone outside in the rain.

Kanade ran for the Pokemon center, feet splashing through mud puddles. Tropius don't evolve. Was this some kind of sickness she'd never heard of? Soon she arrived at the Pokemon center where she began describing his symptoms to this town's nurse joy. She laughed, "tomorrow is forecasted to be a sunny day. I'll give him a check up just in case there is something wrong but In think he is trying to learn a new ability for you. If you work with him tomorrow, it'll be easier for him."

Kanade pondered Nurse Joy's evaluation. She was rather wise after all. "So what do you think Mucai wants to learn?" It had to be an attack that required some focusing. Kanade figured out that much now that she realized he was charging up his strength not getting sick. She also suspected it had to do with the sun.

"It sounds like your Tropius wishes to learn Solar Beam." Kanade had heard of solar beam. It was one of the most powerful grass type attacks. She was proud of him for even trying to learn it. She knew it took a full turn in battle for it to pull in sun light, then the Pokemon would release a high powered beam of built-up energy.

Kanade watched the rain patter against the window of the private room they had rented, waiting for the rain to relent. "Munna?" Her Baku tugged at her sleeve. She curled up against Kanade's arm and the trainer couldn't resist petting her.

"Did you know he wanted to learn a new move?" The Munna nodded eagerly. Kanade realized she was a psychic type and often knew more than she let on to. Baku nodded again almost as if she was reading Kanade's thoughts. She decided it'd be best to go to bed and wait til morning.

The three of them woke before dawn and headed to the field. Tropius already steadied himself in the morning sun, planting his feet firmly in the wet grass. Baku began cheering him on. She often provided need moral support to him and he seemed more confident because of it.

Mucai's body began to glow as he took in the morning sun. The light radiated off him and he nodded his readiness to Kanade. "Okay, Mucai ready to try?" The Tropius nodded an affirmative. "Use solar beam!" He opened his mouth to release a powerful golden beam of light, blasting a hole in a nearby patch of ground. Baku danced around his legs around, proudly. That was the story of how Kanade's Tropius learned to use solar beam.


	6. Rising Stars beauty contest

_**Disclaimer: Still don't own pokemon. time skips over the adoption of Ares off another p-arpg participant... to the rising stars contest prompt event **_

Trainer Kanade brought her three pokemon, Mucai the Tropius, Baku the Munna and her new adopted Tyrogue, Ares to the first local Rising Stars practice competition. She was participating at the Cerulean City branch location and the competition took place on the beach. A stage was set up in front of the water and several trainers and their pokemon bustled around the registration lines.

Ares crossed his arms and shook his head. Kanade had thought the night before he'd be interested in taking part but he apparently wanted no part of this. She pointed to a Machamp practicing Mach Punch, all four fists flying furiously. "You'd look cool, like he does." Ares blanched on seeing the Machamp. Nope, wrong move, Kanade. "Wanna sit it out?"

He nodded and retreated into his pokeball. Kanade sighed. So much for trying to make Ares feel included with this. Baku, her Munna, tugged at exposed sock, as she always did when she wanted attention. Baku kept looking at the Cleffas and Shinxes that were being paraded past. "You wanna go say hi?" Baku shook her head no. The Munna hid behind Kanade's leg, shivering. Mucai reached down and nuzzled his friend. She sat up and looked pleadingly at her trainer. "Are you scared too?" The Munna nodded with tears in her eyes. "You don't have to if you don't want to." A heavy sigh escaped Baku. The pudgy pokemon disappeared in a red beam of light as she too took off for the comforts of her pokeball.

Kanade then turned to Mucai, knowing how close he and Baku were. "You can sit it out too if you want." Mucai shook his head and puffed out his chest. He had trained hard for this and was ready to put all that practice to work. "You sure, buddy? No need to push yourself." He glared at his trainer. No, he was doing this. He worked hard for it, and that was rare for him.

"Okay then let's get registered and get in line." Trainer Kanade walked up to the counter where she was give two numbers, one with a sticky back to affix to Mucai and one for herself. "78. Sounds lucky to me." Mucai nodded and warbled in agreement. They took their place behind a Meowth and were followed by a Skarmory. The line was somber with no bustling and jostling, like around the registration table. The judges sat and watched each entrant compete using different moves and poses. Some pokemon were really awesome, Kanade had to admit, but not as cool as Mucai. Not to her, at least.

At last it was their turn. Mucai walked up to the stage with a heavy swagger. He strutted powerfully, with his frond-like wings extended. Then he stood on his hindlegs, gazing down imperiously as they had practiced. He waited for his trainer's commands. "Mucai use Leer!"

The Tropius's eyes glinted with an angry flash, a look that threw off many pokemon they practiced it against. He could be scary at times, and that got other pokemon to lower their defenses. But this was a beauty contest, and Kanade wanted to show off how Cool Mucai could look. "Mucai, fly up and use your Gust attack!" He hovered skyward, and flapped rapidly, his wings a blur. White sand from the beach was kicked up so hard it looked like a blizzard. Very good work Mucai. Just one more.

They hadn't practiced this for the beauty contest but Mucai was quick on his feet. He could improvise. "While you're up there, give me a Solar Beam!" He blinked in confusion at first, but quickly recovered glowing as he took in the sunlight. After a bit, gleaming a brilliant gold, he turned his head and blast a powerful beam of energy across the water. It even reflected against the surface of the sea.

Such a cool and powerful pokemon. I don't care if you bring home a ribbon or not. You won in my eyes, Mucai.


	7. Route 5

_**This and the following chapters were originally posted on my deviant art as one deviation "Trainer Kanade's Journey to Johto" However it was written as multiple chapeters**_

_**Disclaimer:I still don't own pokemon or its locations or characters. **_

Trainer Kanade decided to visit the bike shop before leaving Cerulean City. She had just participated in the practice beauty contest and figured she could always get the results by Pidgey mail. Upon arrival, her Tropius, Mucai, squeezed through the door after her. He looked around in distaste. Mucai'd seen bikes before, trainers zooming past them from one town to the next. He also had noticed their pokemon did not get to follow their trainers.

They kept their pokemon shut away in their pokeballs, trapped away from the fresh air.

He thought a bit and looked around. There wasn't anyone in the front of the shop at all. He tapped on the pokeball containing his best friend and hatch mate, Kanade's Munna name Baku. She hadn't enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the beauty contest and chose to sit it out. But here should be fine. A red beam of flashing light and she sat on his head, clinging to him happily. He looked to the other pokeball on his trainer's belt. It contained a Tyrogue named Ares she had recently adopted. He shook his head, drawing Kanade's attention. He didn't care too much for Ares, having only known him a few days. The Ares tended to sit by himself. He could hide in there if he wanted to.

Kanade approached the counter and rang the bell. A moment later, a shop keeper appeared from the back room. "How may I help ye, Miss?"

"I'd like to buy a bike, it'd make traveling faster." Mucai snorted in disgust. Baku patted him above the eye comfortingly. She eyed the various bikes on display in multiple colors, in awe at the variety of bicycles one could own and flinching at some of the price tags.

"Well it's you're lucky day, miss. I can see you are a pokemon trainer. I haven't had very good sales lately so you can have that bike over there." He pointed to a metallic bluish green one that collapsed with a lot of levers on the handles. "Ride it around as you journey and if people ask where it came from, send them my way." If Mucai could do that thing the humans do with their hands to their faces, he would have. He growled at Kanade who ignored his protest.

"Why thank you, sir that is very kind of you." She intended to travel far to promote the bike shop in thanks. Mucai stamped his feet to which Kanade sighed. "I know you don't like being in buildings, let's go and thanks again sir." She promptly wheeled the bike out of the shop and stood before Route five.

"Now guys you'll have to go in your pokeballs a little bit." Munna chirped and returned to her pokeball, seeming to understand what Kanade wanted. Mucai on the other hand wanted none of this. He snorted and growled. She sighed, "we need to get to Saffron City soon." He stomped his feet and flapped up dust at her using his Gust attack. She clipped a helmet on her head, and covered her face with her elbow. His eyes glinted as he attempted to Leer at her. For some reason it didn't work as well as it did at other pokemon.

She shook her head, "no, Mucai. We need to keep going on our journey and this is the best way for now. Don't you want to go to far away places, see the world? Get Stronger?" He liked those ideas but no, he liked to walk. He began to glow, taking in the warm rays of the sun. As his body turned gold and he opened his mouth to produce a radiating orb of pure energy, she flinched. "Learn to fly and you can stay out." He dissipated the Solar Beam, not wanting to hurt his trainer. She continued, "but for now I'm going to ride the bike."

He groaned one last protest and disappeared into the pokeball with a flash, giving up on arguing for now. Kanade hopped on her bike and began pedaling as hard as she could down route five, glad she'd learned to ride as a young kid. In his pokeball, Mucai rolled over, miserable.

Not quite halfway down Route Five, Kanade fell off the bike as Mucai exploded outwards from his pokeball and kicked off the side of the bike. She tumbled on the rough dirt of the path, skinning her knees and elbows. "Hey!" She attempt to protest but he licked her and lowered his head in apology. He didn't mean to hurt his trainer, it was an accident. He just couldn't stand being in there anymore. She sighed and looked at him.

Before she could say anything he began to flap his leafy pinions and levitate skyward.

Mucai strained as he tried to stay aloft. However, it wasn't long before he came crashing to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt and dust. "It's okay, Mucai, we can walk if you want." Kanade sounded a bit disappointed. Had he made her so sad? Mucai remembered what she told him, 'learn how to fly.' He wouldn't give up so easily. The Tropius wanted to make his trainer proud of his efforts.

Jumping airborne again, he fluttered his wings with all his might. He managed to stay in the air above her head longer. Content with his capability to stay up in the air, he tried lowering one wing and raising the other. Mucai crashed spectacularly to the ground again.

"Please don't hurt yourself Mucai, we can walk. It's no problem, honest!" She collapsed the dreaded bike and placed it in her pack. Kanade looked worried and began to panic, had she made such a mistake that her beloved Tropius would hurt itself just because she liked the idea of riding a dumb bike?

Tropius cried out and puffed his chest forward proudly. He was determined to learn to fly.

He wasn't injured in the slightest. Before she could say another word he tried again. Running forward a good length, he bounded skyward. Wings outstretched, he soared off the ground and only flapped as he need to in order to gain a good altitude. This time he flew even above the tops of the trees. He struggled less once he realized at this height all he had to do was keep his wings outstretched to glide smoothly across the sky.

A slight breeze buffeted him and he tumbled a little. "Please be careful, Mucai! Don't fall!" Kanade worried, he was so very high after all. How much damage could that do to him if he fell out of the air again?

The Tropius corrected the angle of his wings instinctively, and he glided across the sky. He was soaring! Mucai cried out in joy as he realized he was doing well so far. He tilted his wing very slightly and carefully noted how it arched the curve of his flight. So that's how you turn! Slowly but surely and gaining confidence, he performed a series of turns, loops and spins in the air becoming more complex each time. He looked down to see his trainer looking nervously onward. Was she really so worried? He was a Flying-type, at least partially. He was meant to be up here!

The Tropius suddenly got an idea how to convince her of his growing mastery of the Flying skill. He dove down fast, tucking all four of the frond-like wings to his back and plummeted towards the ground. Once he got to the height of the smallest trees, the ones some pokemon knew how to cut down, he spread his wings and glided in a gentle curve smoothly to rest in front of her.

He gently placed his mouth on the loop of her backpack from behind and before she could yelp or protest he set her on his sturdy back. With a mighty leap he took to the skies once again and flew down the way she had been facing, making sure to keep his flight level.

At first she clung to his neck trembling and looking at the ground so very far below them, then relaxed and even stretched her arms out to the sides, it felt like flying herself. She trusted her Tropius wouldn't ever drop her. A strong wind made her regain her grip,just in case. They flew as fast as he could above route five towards Saffron City.


	8. Saffron City

Moments later Mucai gently landed in Saffron City, and bent his knees a bit to make it easier for Kanade to dismount him. Once she was safely down, he shook himself to ease his tired muscles. A first flight was hard work! He looked around the bustling city in it's hues of gold and yellow. This place was too busy for Baku. He wouldn't bother her here.

_What was that?!_ Mucai ducked his head at the sound of the rushing noise below a nearby building.

His trainer must have heard it too because she asked a man in a suit standing in front of it what the building was. "This is the Magnet Train, young miss. You need a to get a riding pass to board it." Kanade looked at him confused, and the man gestured to the tall building behind her. "Go to Silph Co. They might have one available for you, though they'll likely ask you a favor." Kanade flinched at the name, sure they'd made pokeballs but didn't they once have something to do with Team Rocket? The man laughed at her reaction, having seen it before. "No worries, it's safe now."

Mucai bravely led the way. He knew powerful attacks like Solar Beam. It didn't matter what was scaring his trainer, he'd fight it if it tried to harm her. With stiff legs and head held high, he pressed on towards the unknown, despite his hatred of being inside most buildings. They still smelled odd to him.

The door opened on its own, as if by magic. He hesitated, having never seen such technology. "It's alright Mucai. It's just a high tech door." The Tropius warbled at her questioning, head cocked to the side. "Yes, I'm sure." Mucai jumped through the opening to find a relatively normal room, despite an elevator. He'd seen one of those before, despite hating them.

"Ma'am, I was directed here by the man in front of the Magnet train. He said you may have work in exchange for a pass so I can ride it." Kanade's voice was unsure as she asked the woman behind the counter. Mucai eyed her suspiciously, this better not be a trick!

"OH! I see you having a flying type! Perfect!" The woman replied in a chipper voice.

_How did she have so much energy_, Mucai wondered. "He can fly, right?" The woman sounded doubtful. Mucai stomped a foot and trilled at her indignantly. How dare she suggest he couldn't fly! Even if he had just learned how to. "I need someone to go retrieve a worker from the roof! He got stuck up there when the elevator broke. Our technicians are trying to fix it but it will take a while, and the wind is picking up. I'll give you whatever you want just help him."

Mucai grunted and ran out the scary metal door by himself. This was important! He understood enough human speak to understand person stuck on the roof and wind. He struggled to gain altitude and was buffeted into the side of the Silph Co. Tower as Kanade watched on helplessly. Mucai reached the top in little time. He found a man cowering there, clinging on next to a strange metal tree. He grabbed the man, placed him on his back and dove off the building. It was a hard flight back down but he was much more careful not to hit the building. Landing at the base, the guy scrambled off and back into the tower.

Mucai returned inside triumphantly and the woman handed over a boarding pass, grateful help hadn't cost her more. Kanade took the pass and headed back towards the Magnet Train and the new strange land called Johto.


	9. Aboard the Magnet Train

Kanade found out her Magnet pass Mucai had earned was one-time use only. But she made a quick decision to go to Johto and find another way back. Once aboard the train she had Baku the Munna and Ares the Tyrogue join them.

Ares sat across from her in the rear-facing seats. His arms stayed crossed and he continued to glare at people who walked by. Baku sat on Mucai's head as he lay between the seats.

Both of them stared out the window, and finally Kanade joined them. Mucai groaned at the sight of so much stone and rock but it soon gave way to grasslands and forests as they passed by overhead. The Magnet train took a while but was faster than he could have flown.

He watched in wonder as the scenery passed.

It was too much for her Munna, and Baku returned in fear to her pokeball. Kanade sighed but it was in her Nature to hide. Ares, continued to watch people moving around the car until he saw that Machamp they'd seen in Cerulean. The Machamp flexed all four sets of arms towards Mucai, showing his strength. He tried his best to return the gesture but it was a feeble attempt at best. The Machamp smiled and Ares blanched and hid himself away as well, gone in a flash of light.

The Machamp's trainer waved at Kanade who smiled and returned the greeting.

"Guess it's just you and I again, huh Mucai?" The Tropius warbled happily as they sped along and soon they reached the other end. He flinched seeing another cave, but soon he figured out it was where the train stopped and as soon as they began to slow he bounced excitedly. They walked up the steps from the Magnet train into the region of Johto, in the city of Goldenrod.


	10. In the City of Goldenrod

They began to walk around the city of Goldenrod. It was huge. Mucai flew into the air just to get a better look. People walked and ran to and from various buildings and it was so much noisier than anywhere they'd been before. A building to the south was filled with chiming noises. He flew back down and pointed Kanade in that direction.

As it was only a block away Kanade headed to the building with the purple roof. "Game Corner?" She asked her Tropius, wondering what his interest was in the place. She found several slot machines inside. He gestured at it with his nose and stomped his feet. He wanted to know what the strange thing did. She placed a few coins inside and pulled the lever. The reels spun and nothing matched. "See, nothing exciting..."

Another trainer with a Sneasel cheered as the machine he stood at spit out multiple coins at him. Mucai gasped in awe and butted Kanade again. Surely, she could make it do that. His trainer shook her head, when she saw what Mucai was looking at. "Not that lucky." He began to flap his wings in a powerful Gust attack.

"Hey, not in here..." Some guys in suits with strong fighting types gestured to the door. Mucai held tough but Kanade shook her head.

"Let's go Mucai, no need to fight and get ourselves in trouble." Mucai lowered his head and followed Kanade out the door, disappointed. "There's plenty of other things to see in a city as big as Goldenrod!"

Next she met a man who claimed to rate the nicknames of pokemon. Some sort of fortune teller, Mucai guessed. A psychic type human, perhaps. She brought out all three of her pokemon. Ares, the man claimed had the perfect name but he and Baku did not. They were just 'decent.' He offered to rename them and Mucai groaned in protest. Kanade got the hint and thanked him for his time. "Do you two like your names?" Both he and Baku nodded. "So do I, and that's all that matters." Mucai nodded his approval. His trainer always had the right answer. Baku and Ares hid in their pokeballs again.

Then she headed for a tall building. "This is the famous Goldenrod department store mom talked about." The Tropius remembered Kanade's mother was born in Johto. They found vendors hocking their goods on each of the five floors. Kanade just bought a few pokeballs and potions. She tended to be a minimalist trainer. He disliked having to use an elevator to ascend the floors. Finally she pushed the button labeled "6." They arrived at the 'rooftop atrium,' as his trainer called it.

He liked this place! There were potted plants and fresh air, and vending machines. Kanade bought each of her pokemon and herself a soda, offering Mucai his now. He drank the sweet liquid happily. It tasted very interesting, he chirped for more but Kanade told him no. 'It's an okay treat but will make you sick if you get too much.' He sighed and settled for watching different Flying types pass by overhead.

She rested for a bit on the bench, then gazed through the 'binoculars' mounted on the edges of the roof. She let her Tropius get a look. He had never seen so far with his own eyes. Mucai looked at her with an amazed look then to the binoculars with a look of sheer wonder... Humans did make interesting things sometimes. They decided to head to the Pokecenter for the night as the sun was beginning to set. Tomorrow they planned on headed south down Route Thirty-four.


	11. Going Down Route 34

Kanade and Mucai chose to walk down Route 34. The weather was nice and a gentle breeze drifted across the trail surrounded by tall grass. Ahead of them two trainers were battling their pokemon. One had a Miltank, the other a Shiny Snorlax. The Miltank' trainer called out to her asking her to use Rollout. It missed! Mucai watched on expectantly.

The Snorlax's trainer had him use Body Slam. The massive Snorlax loomed over the smaller Miltank and slowly toppled forward, landing on her with a heavy thud. Dust kicked up and the impact shook the ground. The Miltank fainted with the single hit. Kanade's Tropius squealed in delight. The Miltank's trainer used a revive on her, then recalled her after telling her she did well. The Snorlax's trainer congratulated his pokemon and had him return as well. Each trainer waved at Kanade and Mucai before parting ways.

They continued on the path a bit before Kanade was stopped by Mucai running in front of her. He jumped in the air and flopped hard on his belly. His legs landed sprawled to each side. He grunted in pain and repeated the action, a bit of dust kicking up from his heavy impact. He smiled and continued. Kanade quickly figured out he was mimicking that Snorlax's Body Slam. Her Tropius continued to jump and smash his belly off the path and though she worried she encouraged him. "Here why don't we move to the short grass over there." She figured it may hurt less.

A rock served as his first target, a round rough looking protrusion from the grass. Maybe if he aimed at something, anything he could learn. He bounded upwards and splayed his legs.

The rock hit him painfully under the ribs. Ouch! No, he needed something better, something softer. A flower was next. Mucai liked flowers and felt bad about crushing the lily. But he needed to learn Body Slam. It looked so powerful, so cool when that Snorlax did it. He managed to crush the plant but it didn't have that same effect that Snorlax was able to produce. Mucai sniffed the squished flower and whimpered sadly.

A small ant crawled in front of Mucai and he glared down at it. It wasn't a pokemon, but it would have to do. He pounced and smashed his belly where he thought the ant was. Though he left a small impact mark in the soil beneath the soft grass he couldn't see where the ant went. He looked at Kanade confused. She was equally unsure, having not known what he'd been watching or that he'd even had a target.

A tickling sensation erupted on his belly. He'd landed on an ant's nest and the entire colony was now swarming on his sensitive belly. This would not do! How dare they?! Mucai flapped his wings a few times, ignoring the itching, the biting, the sensation of little feet on his tummy. He flew over to a nearby pool of water and dropped like a rock. His legs landing outwards and his neck forwards. A mighty splash blew skyward as he hit the surface with a powerful belly flop.

As he flew up he sighed with relief. Though it stung a bit, there were no more ants crawling on him. He landed in the short grass and wandered back to his trainer. That was the last time he'd pick on bugs. Kanade was smiling at him. Why? What had he done to please his trainer. Then he realized she didn't know about the swarming, biting insects. She was yelling something at him but water made it hard to understand. He shook his head and then he could hear better. "Mucai do that again! Just like that! It looked like a perfect Body Slam!"

He was confused. All he'd done was rid himself of an annoyance. However his trainer asked him to do it again and she did a good job of teaching him new things. He ran hard across the grass and jumped. A short time aloft and he impacted, this time into the tall grass. Dirt flew everywhere and he was surprised to find a stunned Caterpie under him. He carefully crawled off it and nudged her with his nose. It ran away frightened. He had learned Body Slam and beaten a Bug. Even if he hadn't meant to. He puffed out his chest with pride. The Tropius ran back to his trainer and cried out his excitement. Kanade cheered. "Good job Mucai, you did it."


	12. While camping that night

That night they camped on Route Thirty-four. Kanade slept soundly while her Tropius wandered off. "Mucai, where are you?" Kanade called out her Munna but she didn't seem to know either. Not long after they spotted a few tracks heading south. Tracking after him, he was quickly found.

Mucai lay on the path ahead, and growled and groaned at her. Then he recognized his trainer. He was curled tight around something and refused to let Kanade see it at first.

Then he lifted his wing. A pokemon egg? Where did that come from...

"Mucai did you steal that from someone?!" Where had she gone wrong? Mucai was always the best behaved of her three pokemon. Baku ran over and bumped him with her nose, he snorted at her and tenderly maneuvered the egg back under him. No touching, he seemed to be saying.

"Can you show me where you found it? May I see it, it's very pretty." Kanade kept her voice calm as to not startle the Tropius. Tropius looked at her doubtfully then nodded, rolling it over to her, ever so gently. It was a mottled egg, green and blue and tan. The egg was warm and Kanade gently wrapped it in the blanket she'd use to camp out the night before and carried it carefully following Mucai. He headed south and after a few more minutes of weaving between patches of tall grass they arrived at a small house, it had a large fenced in yard with eggs and several pokemon.

Kanade thought a bit. He really did steal another pokemon's egg... Mucai... what have you done... The sign outside the house read daycare center. An elderly woman was tending to the pokemon beyond the fence. "Ma'am... err... excuse me but I think my pokemon may have taken one of your eggs. I am very sorry! I brought it back." She gently offered the bundle to the woman who checked inside the blanket and laughed.

"That's not one of mine." The old lady chuckled in understanding. Mucai shook his head and looked at Kanade proudly, then back at the lady, hoping she could explain better than he could. If he could talk his trainer's language sometimes. "Your Tropius here brought you back part of a clutch he sired. It looks like this egg belongs to you. See how protective he is of it?" Kanade nodded slowly, understanding sinking in with time, though she did wonder what was in the egg. "It's yours to keep take it with you, keep it warm and safe on your journey's and soon your Tropius will be the proud father of a fine young hatchling."

Tropius trilled gleefully at the old woman's words. No harm would come to this egg or any others Kanade received, he would protect them like he protected Baku and even Ares though sometimes he was unsure if the latter really needed it.

The old woman gestured down the path in the direction they were headed. "That way leads to the Ilex Forest. Be careful in there it's very thickly wooded and always dark. Now get going while there's still daylight on thiry-four unless you want to leave a pokemon in our care." An old man was also tending the pokemon left at the daycare. She shook her head, they would all travel together through the forest, even if it was dark and scary.

Mucai lowered a wing as Kanade placed the wrapped egg carefully in her pack. She shook her head and her flew in the air above her, keeping a close eye out for threats to his trainer and the precious egg.


	13. Into Battle

_**Author's Note: the prompt was pairing participants against each other after the submissions were sent in, and was a battle for the anniversary of P-Arpg. This may be the last of Trainer Kanade's adventures. If not this happened on the way to the Ilex forest.**_

Trainer Kanade stood behind her Tropius, Mucai. This battle was important to her, being one of her first. She decided they should play it safe. Taking too many hits could seriously hurt her beloved pokemon. Perhaps having him dodge one and then counter? She knew many pokemon were stronger still than Mucai and likely faster. Maybe if she asked him to get airborne. Flying took him out of the way of many things.

"Mucai use your Fly attack." She was glad they had practiced this more recently for pokemon battles as well as for the utility of returning to places Mucai knew. He wasn't just a transportation service after all. Mucai had expressed an interest in battling so Kanade got her trainer's license just for this.

The Tropius flapped the leafy fronds that served as his wings rapidly. He quickly gained altitude so he could avoid the other pokemon's attack. He hovered aloft, well out of range of most pokemon. He should be safe here. He waited patiently for an attack to sail harmlessly underneath him, his leaf wings beating in a steady rhythm.

There it was, an opening! The other pokemon's attack flew by safely, not coming close to touching him. He shifted the angle of his wings and plummeted. The Tropius planned to use his mass to slam into the other pokemon. From such a height and with such speed, it would go fast. He hurled towards it and the ground rapidly, expecting a mighty impact.

They collided hard, but his trainer had practiced with him on how to successfully pull this off without getting hurt. Good thing too, as even soft practice poles that had been padded left a mark the first time he had tried for her.

He backed away awaiting the next order from his trainer.

_**Again I may leave this series on this note, Kanade beginning to battle her pokemon, and the results of this battle up to the minds of the reader.**_


End file.
